LORAIN — Amy Butler stood up to stage four breast cancer last year with the same grit that progressed her career from a teacher and coach to principal of Elyria Catholic High School.
Along the way to healing, Butler opened her vulnerability by sharing the journey with her beloved students.
At times, their compassion carried her, she said.
“I really think the reason I’ve done so well is just from their care and love and prayers,” Butler said. “And I tell them that all the time.”
On March 1 about a year after her diagnosis, Butler received a coveted Living Angel Award presented at a 28th annual Life Saver’s Ball of The American Cancer Society at Deluca’s Place in the Park, 6075 Middle Ridge Road, Lorain.
Each Living Angel tells a unique story either through personal experience or by working with cancer patients, said Dr. Alexander Zolli, co-chair of the Life Saver’s Ball.
Previous recipients of the Living Angel award — Patti Betka, 1995; Madeline Zaworski, 1997; Rueben and Maria Escuro, 2005; Emily and Laura Zicchi, 2008; Matt Nakon, 2010; Marge Diadone, 2012; and Jeremy, Ben and Debbie George, 2013 — attended the Life Saver’s Ball as a celebration of life.
The cancer path of Amy Butler’s journey was unexpected, but she persevered through family, courage, athleticism, faith and education, Zolli said.
Athletic and focused, at age 16 Butler took charge of her juvenile diabetes, and encouraged her three sisters and two brothers to eat healthy foods and exercise.
“My sisters know me as the antioxidant queen,” Butler said of a chemical in tea and other foods that fights cancer. “My diagnosis shocked all of us.”
A routine mammogram in November of 2012 revealed no signs of cancer, Butler said. But in January and February she struggled with a nagging intuition.
“I was feeling something in my breast that didn’t feel right,” Butler said. “I was scared. I was very concerned. There was no history of breast cancer in my family. That’s when the fight started. I went in and had a sonogram and biopsy.”
A diagnosis in March of 2013 revealed stage IV cancer, which is advanced, Butler said.
“It was a big shock,” Butler said. “We all know cancer doesn’t discriminate. What we’re learning now is you can do anything. You can be the best patient and person, and still get cancer. I think we have to embrace that we are all susceptible, and we have to support one another.”
An educator always, Butler kept an eye on the school calendar as she pondered her options.
“The treatment plan was for chemotherapy, surgery and radiation,” Butler said. “I went on the fast track. I wanted to get it done. I’m very dedicated to my students. I was trying to get the most done as quickly as possible.”
At first, Butler confided in her family and a few people at school.
“I was really very concerned about how to tell the students,” Butler said. “I agonized about that for a long time. After the first three chemos, I knew my hair would fall out.”
As the effects of treatment kicked in and strength faded, Butler backed her focus off to one day at a time, she said. On a Friday she sent a letter home to parents explaining about the cancer and treatments.
“I wanted the parents to know about it,” Butler said. “If they had an opportunity, they could talk to their kids about it, to help them understand. I didn’t do it because it was just about me. I did it because I wanted them to know what cancer is.
“The people were amazing, understanding,” Butler said. “The kids were amazing. They had a T-shirt campaign and raised money for Relay for Life. I learned more lessons from them than they learned from me, just by their openness and wanting to be there. The kids responded and they still are.
“I lost my hair, probably in late April,” Butler said. “I didn’t want students to feel uncomfortable. I spoke to them at an assembly after a Mass.”
Butler wore scarves and hats, she said. One day when there were no classes at school, Butler summoned her courage and walked into the building without a hat, bald.
“There were all kinds of kids there for athletics,” Butler said. “That’s when the education element and life’s lessons came into play. As long as I was around, I would be able to share with people. After that, it became easier. I still had a rough time. I tried to suck it up.”
Butler applied priorities to her journey to wellness.
“When I was having a bad day, I wouldn’t impose that on people. I would stay home,” Butler said, adding April, May and June were rough.
As an encouragement to the graduating class, Butler broke tradition and wore a pink robe to commencement at Elyria Catholic High School.
The last chemotherapy treatment was in July.
“I bounced back fairly quickly,” Butler said. “Surgery was scheduled for September. I hired five new teachers in the summer, too. I waited to get the school year started. If I went there and had a bad day, I just knew I would have to leave. The people were amazing and understanding.”
A year after the diagnosis, Butler cherishes each day.
“My last body scan came back, ‘No cancer,’” Butler said. “Basically they will keep me on preventive treatments as long as they think I need them. The doctors and nurses are supportive and encouraging. They give you options: ‘This is what we can do for this. What do you want to do?’
“It’s shocking to get the news, but it’s doable,” Butler said. “You can fight it, but you have to be on top of it. When something doesn’t feel right, get it checked out right away.”
Butler’s grateful for husband, her 14-year-old son, Patrick, all of her siblings and her parents, Joe and Sue Vajentic, Elyria, who attended the Living Angel award presentation at the Life Saver’s Ball. Out of 23 people nominated for the award, Butler was chosen based on a letter written by her older sister, Nora Conner, a registered nurse who works in an operating room at University Hospitals in Cleveland.
No one in the family could believe Butler had cancer, Conner said.
“My heart sunk to the floor,” Conner said. “I always thought it would be me instead of her. When we finally got to see each other after her diagnosis, I said, ‘Amy, I will try to be there for you all the way, to help you.’ I had to keep to myself what I knew about cancer and what it can do to you. I couldn’t give that to her. She is the one who fought it.
“I believe in Amy,” Conner said. “I saw the way she took control and handled herself.”
Family bonds strengthened in the last year.
“We’ve always watched over each other because we’re pretty close,” Conner said. “We learned about stress and how it affects you. We learned about nutrition and attitude is everything. I think we appreciate each other more, and living what is right in front of us, because a couple years down the road, we don’t know about that yet.
“Amy was pretty mad at me when I nominated her,” Conner said. “She wanted it to be over. I told her that her journey wasn’t over yet. She had to do this.”